Secure Convenient Smartphone Holster

ABSTRACT

This patent describes a holster case for smartphones and similar gadgets. This holster is intended to be attached to a pants pocket although it can also be attached to any part of clothing. The holster provides an easy, single motion, one hand operation to store and retrieve the phone. It provides protection from accidental knock-off, fall-out or grab-and-run theft.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTINGCOMPACT DISC APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Carrying a smartphone has certain inconveniences. It can be carried in apocket, a bag or in a case on a belt. Carrying it in a pocket isinconvenient especially when sitting down or driving a car. Carrying itin a bag requires carrying the bag itself and is inconvenient openingthe bag and finding the phone in it for quick immediate need, e.g., toanswer a phone call. Carrying it on a belt is also inconvenient due tointerference with clothing (e.g., a jacket or a sweater) and discomfortof sitting down, driving and using a safety belt. This invention isaddressing these problems by means of a holster style smartphone casewhich can be securely attached to a pants pocket. Its design provides aconvenient single motion move to store and retrieve the phone.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a holster style smartphone case attachable to aclothing pocket.

The holster is attached to a pocket by means of a secure clip. Thesecurity of the clip is achieved by a secure latch. If the case ispulled out of pocket without releasing the latch, the latch grabs thepocket fabric and prevents detaching the clip from the pocket. The latchis located inside the pocket and can be easily accessed by the owner butcannot be easily accessed by others or accidentally hit.

The smartphone case consists of two halves - upper and lower ones. Theupper half has the pocket clip described above. The lower part isattached to the upper one in such a way that the case can be stretchedby pulling the lower part down. This is done by means of tubes/rails andsprings, rubber bands or bungee cords. The phone is inserted into thecase by stretching the case, inserting the phone between the brackets onthe lower and upper halves and releasing it. The phone is securely keptin place by brackets on the lower and upper halves. This mechanismallows fast an easy phone storage and retrieval.

There may be a hidden catch under the case which prevents phoneretrieval without deactivating it. It can be easily accessed by theowner, e.g., by a pinky finger while retrieving the phone in a singlemotion. It cannot be accidentally hit or easily accessed by others. Thisprevents grab-and-run theft or accidental knock-offs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the sideview of the case with the pocket clip securitylatch locked.

FIG. 2 shows the sideview of the case with the pocket clip latchreleased allowing for the holster removal.

FIG. 3 shows the case with upper and lower halves connected by tubeswith bungee cord inside.

FIG. 4 shows the case extended for phone insertion/removal.

FIG. 5 shows a better view of the pocket clip and the latch locked.

FIG. 6 shows a better view of the pocket clip and the latch released.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention describes a secure holster style smartphone carryingcase, which can be attached to a pants pocket. Sideview of the holsteris shown in FIG. 1 . The holster consists of the upper half 1 and thelower half 2 connected by sliding tubes. The upper half has two outertubes 5. The lower half has two inner tubes 6. The inner tubes of thelower half slide inside the outer tubes of the upper half. The lower andupper halves are held together by an elastic bungee cord 7, which allowsthe case to be extended along the sliding tubes as the cord stretches.The upper and lower halves have L-shaped brackets 3 and 4, which holdthe smartphone in place. The phone is inserted by pushing it into thelower half, extending the case, sliding the phone between the bracketsand releasing it.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a better view of the case consisting of upper half 1and lower half 2. FIG. 4 shows the case extended for phoneinsertion/removal.

There may be a safety catch 17 accessed under the phone, e.g., by apinky finger. This safety catch will prevent the phone removal withoutbeing disactivated. This catch can be conveniently accessed by the ownerbut cannot be easily accessed by others or accidentally knocked off. Thesafety catch is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 .

The upper half has a spring-loaded pocket clip 8 as shown in FIGS. 1 and2 . The clip is attached to the case by the shaft 9 and loaded by thespring 10. The clip has the slot 11 in which the front fabric of thepocket is inserted. The clip has a spring-loaded security latch 12,which when locked prevents the holster from being accidentally ormaliciously removed from the pocket. The latch is attached to the clipby the shaft 13 and loaded by the spring 14. The latch grabs and holdsthe pocket fabric in the slot by teeth 15. The latch can be released bypulling on its handle 16. This latch is shown locked in FIG. 1 . FIG. 2shows the latch being released and the holster can be removed from thepocket. The latch can be conveniently accessed by a thumb.

A better view of the pocket clip 8 and the security latch 12 is shown inFIGS. 5 and 6 . FIG. 6 shows the handle of the latch pulled and thelatch released.

What is claimed is:
 1. A smartphone case which can be securely attachedto a clothing pocket, a piece of fabric, a strap, a loop or a belt.
 2. Asmartphone case designed for secure smartphone keeping and yet forsmartphone removal and insertion with a simple motion.
 3. A securitylatch which grabs the fabric and prevents the holster from being removedwithout deactivating the latch.
 4. A safety catch which prevents thephone from being removed from the case without deactivating this catch.5. An extendable smartphone case having two parts linked together bysliding tubes/rails or guides and held together by springs, elasticbands or bungee cords.